Astros Top Dodgers, 5-1, for 1st World Series Title

Series MVP George Springer homered for the fourth consecutive game and the Houston Astros easily beat the Dodgers, 5-1, in the decisive Game 7 of the 2017 World Series in Los Angeles on Wednesday to clinch the first world championship in franchise history.

American League champion Houston scored all five of their runs in the first two innings off Dodgers' starter Yu Darvish. The deluge was capped by Springer's fifth homer of the World Series, tying Reggie Jackson (1977) and Chase Utley (2009) for the all-time record in one series.

After Astros manager A.J. Hinch pulled starter Lance McCullers Jr. with two runners on base in the third, four Houston relievers held the Los Angeles lineup to one run over the final six-and two-thirds innings.

Winning pitcher Charlie Morton was especially effective, allowing just one run on two hits and a walk over the game's final four innings.

Clayton Kershaw threw four shutout innings of relief, but the Dodgers could not rally. Darvish took the loss.

For Springer, his dominant series fulfilled the prediction made when he appeared on a Sports Illustrated cover in 2014: "Your 2017 World Series Champs." The bold guess followed a dismal streak of three 100-loss seasons for the franchise. Springer hit .379 over the last seven games, and he helped Houston set a World Series record with 15 home runs as a team.